Clothesline tightener



Aug. 10,1926.

H. M. TAYLOR 'CLOTHESLINE TIGHTENER Filed Sept. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 10 1926. 1,595,891

' H. M. TAYLOR CLOTHESLI NE TGHTENER Filed Sept. 5, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /9 /s' /9 20 @-nlII-m] l zo .l zo l/9' v Patented Aug. 10, 19226.

Unirse stars...

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HERBERT MUNRO TAYLOR, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA. ASSTGNOR OF ONEALF T0 FRANK SUTCLIFFE, OF CONSHOHOCKEN, PENNSYLVANIA.

CLOTHESLINE TIGHTENER.

Application filed September 5, 1925, Serial No. 54,774, and

My invention relates to improvements in clothes line tighteners and the object of the invention is to devise a simple and inexpensive device for tightening clothes lines whereby the operation of tightening the line may be more conveniently and easily performed than hitherto and whereby any desired degree of adjustment may be readily obtained; and a further object is to provide such a device which will be very strong and durable and which will not be rendered inoperative or more difficult to operate due to long exposure to the weather.

Other objects will appear in the course of the following specification.

My invention consists in the construction and arrangement or" parts all as hereinafter more particularly described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:--

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form in which my invention may be made.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation looking in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 1, a chain forming part thereof being omitted vfor the sake of clearness.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of a modified form in which the device may be made.

Fig. l is a` front view of the modiiied form looking in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3, the chain being omitted as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of a portion of the chain.

ln the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various views.

In the form illustrated in Figs. l and 2 my improved device comprises a bracket 1 formed by bending a sheet metal plate about its middle, the bent central portion 2 forml ing the top of the bracket and the sides 3 being formed` from the remainder of the plate.

The lower rear portion of the bracket is of arc-shape at 4 and the plates at this point are bent inwardly towards each other at 5 and form between them an arc-shaped slot 6 which will be later referred to.

The sides of this slot are each formed with four spaced apart steps 7, 8, 9 and 10 arranged in opposed pairs.

in Canada July 31. 1925.

Within the bracket is mounted a pulley 11 which is rotatably supported upon a rivet 12.

A further rivet 13 connects the sides 3 of the bracket to further strengthen it.

The top of the bracket at the rear thereof is provided with an orifice 14. adapted to receive a hook 15 for mounting the bracket upon any suitable supp-ort such as a post 22 (see Fig.

A chain 1G is supported upon the pulley 11, the front end of the chain passing forwardly through the front of the bracket and the opposite end depending from the bottom of the bracket. 65

The forward end of the chain 16 carries a hook 17 adapted to receive the end of a clothes line (not shown).

rlhe depending end of the chain carries a wooden hand grip 18.

In using my device, the bracket 1 is supported upon a hook 15 and the clothes line is connected to the hook 17.

When it is desired to tighten the line, the chain is pulled forwardly. by gripping the 75 hand grip 18, in the direction of the arrow B in Fig. 1.

This draws thc hook 17 towards thc bracket and when the desired adjustment of the line is obtained the chain is moved 80 downwardly so that one of the links passes into the slot 6 which slot is wide enough to permit passage of the thin portion 19 of the link thereinto but will not permit passage of the thick portion 20 of the link there- 85 through.

It will thus be seen that when the link is engaged within the slot 6 the chain is positively locked in position l a time is provided so that very neadjustments may be obtained.

In the modilied construction shown in Fig. 3 the operation is very much the same except that the chain locking means are provided at the 'front of the top oi the bracket instead of at the bottom as in the 'previous form.

In this Jform the front oit the bracket at the top is formed into a series ot steps 2l which `correspond to the steps at the bottom of the form shown in Figs. l and 2.

These steps are formed by turning in the sides of the bracket so that the turned in portions form the steps with `a central slot 23 which corresponds to the slot 6' in the other form.

rThe locked position is illustrated in full linesand in thisvposition'the bracketwould be inclined.downwardly as shown.

`When it is desired to alter the adjustn'ient,I the bracket would be moved by hand up- `wardly into thebroken line position at l.

ri`he engaged link would then be disengaged :from the-slot 23 and the chain moved to give The bracket would the proper adjustment.

when

then be lowered to again grip a link the chain would be again locked.

By locking the link in any desired one oi. the steps Qlithe same degree of adjustment -isi obtained as in the other form.

My improved device, it will be apparent, forms a very convenient method of tightening clothes lines. since it permits very close adjustments to be made and also since there are no threaded members such as in a turn- 1buckle, the device will not become inopera- 1tive or more diiiicult to operateA due to rusting after long exposure tothe weather.

Any desired length ot adjustment may be had by providing a chain of suitable length` whereas to provide a long adjustment with a turn-buckle would require a very large turnbuckle, which would increase the cost.

A further advantage of my device is that the line may bewquickly and conveniently lowered temporarily ii" desired which can not be readily done. with a turn-buckle.

A still further'advantage is that a person can not apply sufncienttorce to `break the :ported upon said pulley, chain passing outwardly through the front line, which might easily be done with a turnbuckle.

The bracket being closed at the top forms a watershed which protects the pulley ll.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have devised an improved clothes line tightener whereby the objects of my invention have been attained.

lVhat l claim as my invention is:

l. A clothes line tightener comprising a bracket, a pulley mounted therein, a chain supportedupon said pulley, one end ot said chain passing outwardly through the front oit the-bracket and the other vend depending through the bottom thereof, means tor attaching a clothes line at the iront end ot saidchain, a hand grip at the depending end thereof, means 'lor mounting the bracket upon a support, and a plurality of stepped means formed uponithe bracket, each step adapted =to grip any desired link ofthe chain 'tor locking the chain .upon the bracket.

2. Ali-clothes line tightener comprising, a bracket, a pulley mounted therein, a chain si iported upon said pulley, one end ot said u chain passing outwardly'through the front .ot' thebracket and the ,other end depending through the bottom thereof, .means for attaching a clothes line at the front end ot said chain, a hand grip at the depending end thereo't, means tor mounting the` bracket upon a support, yand a plu 'alityot spaced apart chain engaging locking elements termed upon the bracket, each of said eleaents adapted to grip any desired link of the chain for locking the chain upon the bracket.

3. A clothes line tightener comprisinej, a plate bent ugon itself` aboutits middle to form a bracket, the central bent portion forming the top of the bracket, a pulley mounted within the bracket, a chain supone end of said ot the bracket and the other end depending through the bottom of thebracket at the rear thereof, means for attachingv a clothes line to the front end ot the chain, .a hand -grip at the depending end, the rear lower sides of the bracket bent inwardly and 'forming between them an arc shaped slot, the sides of' said slot each formed with a series ot opposed spaced apart steps, each pair ot said steps adapted to grip any desired. link of the chain for locking the chain upon the'bracket, and means at the upper rear corner of the bracket ior securing it .upon a support. 

